You should be the Alpha male to your dog. You must bond with your pup and the pup with you.I to prefer male dogs and Bo was the only male in his litter. He is not hard headed at all.But then agin he is a German Shorthair. I raised Brits back in the early 70's and my father had the first Brits in Mifflin Co. Pa in the late 40's and 50's.They are a very nice dog,but somehow I got on these Shorthairs and got spoiled.